Hi, I am studying in university and love reading. It's more than 1 year since Amazon released Kindle 2, and I am worrying about this. If I buy Kindle 2 now, then Amazon update Kindle, my Kindle 2 will surely bacome out-dated.

Recently I thought a lot about this, and couldn't find an answer. When will Kindle get updated, do you have any news?

It seems anytime you buy a piece of electronics, it quickly becomes obsolete. Since all the kindle can do is display books, I wouldn't worry too much about it. There are lots of people who are still happily using their k1s. I would be too, if I hadn't left mine on the train. I am so hooked, I want a backup at all times. So I bought the K2, knowing a K3 would come out eventually (no one knows when, maybe in time for Christmas?). I will buy the K3 when it comes out, and use either the K2 or the K3 for backup. The K2 is nice, doesn't require a case (although I would get a sleeve if you are putting it in a backpack) and does everything I want my ereader to do. It doesn't have an SD card, so I need my computer as well, but unless I am stranded on the proverbial desert island, I am happy reading on my K2. People think the next thing out might be color. Frankly, my dear, I don't give a D$%m. Most of the books I read (fiction) are just in B&W.

Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!)

Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle

it's one of those deals that if you wait, it won't be released, but if you buy it, then sure enough the announcement will be made the next day of the new release. so now you have to face the rest of your existence knowing that the launch of the K3 was delayed because you hesitated to make that leap and buy the K2! you will have to live with that guilt through all of eternity knowing that it was your stubborness that deprived untold thousands of readers of the pleasures of having the K3!!! so get out there and GET IT!!! take the plunge! you'll love it!!!

it's one of those deals that if you wait, it won't be released, but if you buy it, then sure enough the announcement will be made the next day of the new release. so now you have to face the rest of your existence knowing that the launch of the K3 was delayed because you hesitated to make that leap and buy the K2! you will have to live with that guilt through all of eternity knowing that it was your stubborness that deprived untold thousands of readers of the pleasures of having the K3!!! so get out there and GET IT!!! take the plunge! you'll love it!!!

It has been very hard to predict when Amazon will release a new Reader. In the past they have actually done so later than many people expected. There could be one released at any time, but the fact that the K2 is now on sale at Target argues against it being replaced any time soon. This also argues against them lowering the price in the near term, which I half expected.

Don't forget that if you buy direct from Amazon you essentially have a 30 day window after you buy when you will get back any price reduction and/or you can return the K2 for a (say) K3 if it is announced.

It has been very hard to predict when Amazon will release a new Reader. In the past they have actually done so later than many people expected. There could be one released at any time, but the fact that the K2 is now on sale at Target argues against it being replaced any time soon. This also argues against them lowering the price in the near term, which I half expected.

I look at the Target deal as a way to move out more inventory to make way for a new Kindle in the fall. Could be wishful thinking but I like my fantasy world.

No one has a clue what will be in a Kindle 3 -- there aren't even any very good rumours (lots of wishlists, few credible rumours).

There's some tweaking they could do to the Kindle 2 -- some already announced like better organization. They could also update how Whispernet works. Probably they could add a sans-serif font choice.

I don't see a new model till the fall, either. Maybe they'll add WiFi as a "freenet Whispernet option". Maybe extra capacity or rethink the keyboard. But short of goign with a full colour option (and it doesn't sound like production quantities of screen technology will be available yet) all they can really do, maybe, is a Kindle 2.5 and lower the price a bit.

Thanks a lot for your replies!
Same with you, I love Kindle and hope to make the best use of it. The information you offered is helpful. Since I have got an iPod touch to enjoy music, movies, and games, Kindle is the best choice to read books.
I have just finished the application of LLM, and have plenty time to enjoy reading.

I actually think K3 could be released in the next couple of months. Amazon has been releasing a new piece of hardware about every 4 months or so:
K1 - 2007 November
K2 - 2009 Feb
DX - 2009 June
K2i - 2009 October
DXi - 2010 January

Here we are in April, 4 months since DXi. So by this line of idle speculation, K3 could come any time. It has already been a longer wait than between K1 and K2 releases. I would expect the next K2/K2i update (improved accessibility, 'organizing') around the same time, just because I want something new also (not planning to get a K3 myself). <g>

There's plenty they could do to improve on K2, short of adding color:
- make it faster
- internationalize the hardware/software (for non-English languages). This would probably mean scrapping the so-called keyboard and replacing it with a touchscreen (either a second screen like Nook or a single touch sensitive screen for reading and typing). Kindle is really the only dedicated reader device that is so strongly tied to the English language, and Amazon needs to address this if they want to compete globally.
- improve screen contrast
- lower the price to $300

I think there's also room for a slightly smaller, stripped down, sub $200 reader without a keyboard or touchscreen. You'd still be able to enter text (using joystick) but it would be slower.

They more or less promised a firmware upgrade to provide folders/categories sometime in the next few months. You will be able to take advantage of this even if you buy a Kindle now. I actually think that the Target deal augurs well for a new Kindle announcement before Christmas. I would expect Amazon to take advantage of this new distribution channel to make several price adjustments (downwards of course :-)) to create some pricing headroom before they make any announcement in advance of the Christmas season. Given the plethora of e-reader announcements made at CES 2010, I would also expect Amazon to want to judge market response to these announcements (and also let us also not forget the iPad :-)) before they make any further product moves. I would not expect any new device to offer color (E-ink is still not quite ready for prime time -- at least I don't think so not for this Christmas). On the other hand multi-touch is a definite possibility (probability?), And would be quite desirable. There now! I've given the rumor mill a quite proper stoking up :-).

There's plenty they could do to improve on K2, short of adding color:
- make it faster
- internationalize the hardware/software (for non-English languages). This would probably mean scrapping the so-called keyboard and replacing it with a touchscreen (either a second screen like Nook or a single touch sensitive screen for reading and typing). Kindle is really the only dedicated reader device that is so strongly tied to the English language, and Amazon needs to address this if they want to compete globally.
- improve screen contrast
- lower the price to $300